Dad donates kidney in rare blood group mismatch transplant

Bhopal: A 22-year-old man received a kidney from his 47-year-old father at AIIMS Bhopal, despite a blood group mismatch, according to a press release here on Thursday.The patient had been suffering from chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN), a condition that inflames and damages the kidneys. His blood group was A, while his dad's was AB+. Ordinarily, this incompatibility would trigger rejection as the son's immune system carried anti-B antibodies.To prepare for the transplant, doctors placed the patient on a two-week course of immunosuppressive therapy. This included globulin treatment and other interventions to lower antibody levels, reducing the risk of rejection. The surgery was performed seven days ago, after the preparatory regimen. Post-operation, the patient continues on immunosuppressants to support the new kidney's function. ABO-incompatible transplants are demanding. They require planning and techniques to suppress the immune response. By lowering antibody activity before surgery, doctors can make transplants possible even when blood groups do not match, said AIIMS nephrologist Dr Mahendra Atlani. For the young man and his father, the procedure was not only a medical intervention but also a family decision shaped by necessity. In settings where access to compatible donors is limited, such approaches expand options for patients who might otherwise wait years for a match.At AIIMS Bhopal, this case reflects how evolving medical science is being applied in practice. It shows how families, even from less privileged backgrounds, can benefit from advanced transplant techniques when guided by clinical expertise. The patient is expected to be discharged in this week.